Concerto Grosso, Opus 6, No. 3 (Polonaise): String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

This is one of the rare moments in Handel's Opus 6 concerti where a specific dance form (the polonaise) anchors the entire movement, making it distinctive within the cycle. The solos sit naturally within the ensemble texture rather than dominating it, so students experience authentic Baroque writing without the burden of virtuosic fireworks. It's repertoire that teaches Baroque style through playing, not explanation.

The polonaise carries an air of courtly grace and modest pageantry. It moves with purpose and poise, never grand but never slight either, unfolding with the kind of elegant restraint that makes Baroque music feel both distant and deeply human.

String orchestra directors programming concert or festival repertoire at the intermediate level will find this work both musically rewarding and pedagogically sound. It serves orchestras ready to engage with Baroque masterworks but not yet equipped for the technical demands of later Romantic or contemporary literature.

• Shape the polonaise rhythm with clarity but without exaggeration; the dance pulse should propel the line forward without sounding mechanical.
• Balance the concertino solos so they emerge distinctly from the ripieno without requiring disproportionate volume from those players.
• Observe the stylistic conventions of Handel's era: ornaments should sit lightly on the beat, and cadences benefit from slight rhythmic freedom.
• Use the score to trace how Handel passes material between the solo group and full ensemble; this interplay is the heart of the concerto grosso form.

Pair this with later Baroque or early Classical works to build a coherent historical arc, or set it alongside a contemporary piece to highlight how composers have continually returned to the concerto grosso form. The approachable grade level makes it suitable for mid-season concerts where you want substantial repertoire without overwhelming an ensemble.

• Reading and performing Baroque articulation and ornamentation conventions
• Balancing concertino and ripieno textures in the concerto grosso form
• Shaping dance rhythms (polonaise) with historical style
• Coordinating ensemble entrances and managing texture changes
• Interpreting figured-bass harmonic language typical of the Baroque era